Former steelworker alleges asbestos exposure caused lung cancer

A former steelworker is suing dozens of companies with ties to asbestos-containing products that he alleges caused him to develop lung cancer.

Ruperto Favela filed a lawsuit Jan. 22 in Cook County Circuit Court against A.W. Chesterton Co., H.B. Fuller Co., Union Carbide Corp. and more than 20 other companies.

According to the complaint, Favela was exposed to asbestos via the defendants’ products between 1969 and 2014, during which time he worked as a steelworker. He claims the exposure led him to develop lung cancer, which he became aware of Oct. 22, 2014.

Favela alleges the defendants knew or should have known their products contained asbestos and would result in physical harm, and accuses them of failing to provide adequate warnings of the danger of asbestos exposure.

He is represented by attorney Daniel T. Ryan of Cooney & Conway in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2015L000647.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and represents only one side of the story.